Susi Damilano

Background

About Susi Damilano

My first live theater experience was Les Miserables, which hooked me for life. I was completely captivated by what was happening on a stage, including the fact that I knew it wasn’t real and yet I bought into every moment: the water, the battles, life, death, the emotions. After that, theater became my passion and I started to learn the craft of acting. All the while I continued developing my professional business career, first as as a CPA and then as VP of Human Resources for financial services companies. My grounding in finance and Human Resources, the nuts and bolts of running a successful enterprise, was invaluable to me and my husband, Bill English, as we co-founded the San Francisco Playhouse in 2003. The SF Chronicle said, “One of the most meteoric rises has been that of SF Playhouse, Bill English and Susi Damilano's…startup that has been attracting more top-notch actors, directors and scripts every year.” We’re proud that The San Francisco Playhouse has not only become one of the most highly respected and awarded companies in the state, but that we are fiscally sound, with an active board of directors, and a healthy endowment and grant writing program. In 2013, we received a bequest that allowed us to move for the third time into our largest theater space yet, the former home of the Post Street Theatre. The eight plays we showcase each season include Broadway plays, musicals, and world and regional premieres – some of which are original productions which we nurtured from play readings to fully realized productions. I’ve produced and directed over 60 plays and have performed in over 20. I was honored by the Bay Area Critics Circle as Best Actress in Abigail's Party, Bug, Six Degrees of Separation, Harper Reagan and Reckless. For more information, please reach out to me at susi@sfplayhouse.org.